An owner of property in Iron and Ashland counties that was the site of a contentious proposal to mine iron ore is trying to resurrect plans for the mine, an Iron County economic development official said.

Officials of La Pointe Iron Co., one of the owners of the property that Gogebic Taconite unsuccessfully sought to develop as a massive open pit mine, met with local representatives in Hurley on Wednesday to discuss reviving the plans.

Kelly Klein, director of development for the Iron County Development Zone, said he and others met with La Pointe representatives, who told them they are eager to find another developer for the site.

Chocolate maker moving operation to Walker's Point

Indulgence Chocolatiers will move its production operations from its current location in Waukesha to a larger facility in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood this summer, the company announced Wednesday.

The artisan chocolate company has leased 2,400 square feet, along with basement space, at 211 S. 2nd St. The new location will house Indulgence’s kitchen, offices, a retail shop, and a new chocolate pairing bar concept.

“Our new kitchen will have large glass viewing windows that will allow customers in our retail shop to watch our talented chocolatiers in action," owner Julie Waterman said, in a statement. "We really want to bring customers into the process, and let them see where and how our confections are created."

The small chocolate pairing bar, which will be incorporated into the retail space, will allow customers to order flights of chocolate accompanied by various wines, craft beers, and cheeses

Indulgence selected Walker’s Point due to its central location in Milwaukee, and the presence of so many other local artisan food and beverage companies.

The neighborhood includes Great Lakes Distillery, 616 W. Virginia St., as well as Clock Shadow Creamery and Purple Door Ice Cream, both at the Clock Shadow Building, 138 W. Bruce St. This summer, Anodyne Coffee Co. is opening a new roasting facility and cafe at 224 W. Bruce St.

"We feel like this up and coming neighborhood is the place to be if you are an artisan food producer in Milwaukee, and we’re excited to be part of its development," Waterman said.

Indulgence is now based at 400 Travis Lane, Waukesha. It also operates a retail shop in Shorewood, at 4525 N. Oakland Ave., and sells its chocolates in stores throughout Wisconsin, as well as in the Chicago area.

The business currently has seven employees, and expects to add two to three more employees at the new location.

Commercial Real Estate News

For decades, Brookfield's Blue Mound Road has been the Milwaukee area's busiest retail corridor, extending westward from its anchor at Brookfield Square mall to Barker Road.

Now, that landscape is changing, with five major retail projects under construction — including Brookfield Square's latest redevelopment phase, and the Von Maur department store-anchored retail center known as The Corners.

Blue Mound Road features dozens of shopping centers and stand-alone retail buildings on the three-mile stretch between Moorland and Barker Roads. Those buildings have long enjoyed high occupancy rates, said Bruce Westling, principal at NAI MLG Commercial and a veteran retail leasing broker.(13)